Ladies Trip to Provence to Celebrate France’s Reopening!

With travel restrictions set to ease in France, what better excuse do you need for a girls’ trip in beautiful Provence?

France is on track to re-open its borders on June 9th to travelers who have either been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative PCR test, with all curfew restrictions set to expire at the end of June. This gives you the perfect excuse to think about a jaunt to France later in the summer or fall, and to that we say, “Ooh, la la.”

We will be sharing a few France-themed itineraries in the coming weeks to celebrate this exciting news, but we wanted to share this one first. The South of France is the perfect place to go and enjoy fresh air and French culture, and this ladies’ trip around Provence is an excellent way to get away with the girls after missing so much time together in the last year.

Day 1
Avignon

You’ll arrive on your first morning into Marseille Airport and enjoy a private transfer to your beautiful hotel in Avignon. Take some time to settle in and enjoy your first lunch in the South of France. Later this afternoon, a local guide will meet you to give you a walking tour around Avignon to help you get your bearings.

Avignon, which was the capital of Christendom in the Middle Ages, is full of churches and chapels. The Saint-Benezet Bridge, called the Pont d’Avignon, is famous around the world, and its ramparts are home to a complex of monuments that are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Avignon is also a cultural hotspot, home to many museums, an opera house/theatre, an exhibition hall, and a congress center with installations on the cutting edge of technology located within the outstanding premises of the Palais des Papes.

Day 2
Les Alpilles

Your local guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel this morning for your full-day tour of Les Alpilles. Begin the day with a tour of St. Rémy de Provence, a must-visit for anyone with an eye for architecture. Its center includes quaint 17th- and 18th-century houses and narrow cobblestone streets. The circular boulevard around the center was immortalized by Van Gogh himself.

Your guide will then take you onto the roads of the Alpilles Valley, where the olives have been cultivated since the time of the Ancient Grecians. When you think “olive oil,” Italy is probably top of the mind, but today you’ll learn what the South of France has to offer. Visit an olive mill, where you will learn about the production of this golden elixir and of course sample the product itself.

Afterwards, visit the village of Les Baux de Provence, one of the most photogenic hill towns in Provence with a rich architectural heritage best discovered by wandering through the narrow, cobbled streets.

A visit to Eygalières will show you the 12th-century Saint Sixte Chapel atop a rocky hill, and, time permitting, cap your day off with a stop at Saint-Paul de Mausole, the clinic into which Van Gogh was taken in 1889. Van Gogh was enchanted by the quality of light here and the ardent beauty of the landscapes surrounding him, and we think you’ll be enchanted too. It certainly inspired Van Gogh; he completed more than 150 paintings and numerous sketches in the year he spent here.

Day 3
Châteauneuf du Pape Wine Region

Your local wine expert will meet you at your hotel for a day of vino! Today’s full-day tour of the infamous Châteauneuf du Pape wine region should be top of the list for any wine lovers.

This region is most famous for the Côtes du Rhône wine, which comes from the slope between Orange and Avignon in one of Provence’s most spectacular landscapes. In fact, popes of the past used to have their summer residences here (“Pape” means “Pope” in French!). The Châteauneuf du Pape wine is a red that is thick, harsh, powerful, and richly colored. On today’s discovery of the area, you’ll visit three vineyards and enjoy lunch at a local bistro, with each stop being a delight for your tastebuds!

Day 4
Avignon

Today is all about food. Your driver will meet you at your hotel and take you to a covered market in Avignon.

At the market, meet a local chef who will help you shop for fresh ingredients for today’s lunch. You will decide your menu with the chef onsite, explore the market, and then enjoy a hands-on cooking class before a sumptuous lunch.

Spend the afternoon at leisure back in St. Remy de Provence. Perhaps a spa day is in order?!

Day 5
Luberon Valley

Today’s journey to Aix-en-Provence will take you through the glorious Luberon Valley with your local guide.

The Luberon Valley is characterized by a series of striking picturesque perches, hilltop villages dating back a millennium or more. Stop in the charming village of Lourmarin to see a 15th-century chateau. A stop in Bonnieux will give you the most breathtaking view from the ramparts over the Calavon Valley, with the villages of Gordes and Roussillon in the distance, clinging to the Vaucluse Mountains.

Gordes itself was home to celebrated artists such as painter Vasarely and photographer Wille Ronis, and your stop here will help you to learn why Gordes is always listed as one of France’s most beautiful villages. Roussillon, built on top of a hill, is home to the most amazing ochre quarries, and you can walk through the landscape carved into the colored rock and then explore the village too.

Finally, stop at the Abbey of Senanque, built in the 12th century and still a working abbey today. You will marvel not only at the beautiful structure of the abbey but also at its surrounding lavender fields. Your guide will take you to your stunning hotel in Aix-en-Provence to end your exhilarating day in Le Luberon.

Day 6
Chateau d’Arnajan & Aix-en-Provence

Your private driver will transfer you half an hour to Chateau d’Arnajan this morning, located in Le Puy Sainte Réparade. Here, you will meet with your chef instructor for a hands-on cooking class before a delicious lunch followed by a visit of the beautiful domain.

The afternoon is yours in Aix-en-Provence. Explore on your own, or your local guide can show you around to all the hidden gems of this city of water, this city of art. Aix has in fact been built and developed around this dual identity, blending different eras and culture as it has grown. Here, all is color and sensation: the light of the sky, the golden stone of the facades, the transparent green of the fountains, the shade of the plane trees, and the surprises held by festival nights. Art lovers will particularly want to get to know some of the sites dedicated to Cezanne, probably the most celebrated Child of Aix-en-Provence. 

Day 7
Departure Day

It will be with great reluctance that you head to the airport today, bidding adieu to the South of France. You may be going, but the spirit of its people, the taste of its food and wine, and the scent of lavender will be with you long after you have returned home. 

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Bear in mind that this trip is done on a completely private basis, so everything you see is customizable to your group’s particular interests and energy levels. Still, this makes for a pretty nice template to start with, don’t you think?

If you would like to get away to Provence (or anywhere else in the world), simply contact us, and we will set you on your way.